Rooster Quit Eating Right Before Show in 20 days

[Brahmas Beauty Homestead]

I need help please , I’m going to talk about my roosters but this applies to my entire flock .
I am in a panic both my show roosters have quit eating for the most part and now have lost some weight. So I started feeding Kalmbach feed about a year ago and would mix a combination of crumble , mini pellet and pellet and would add a bag of Hen House Reserve. Those not familiar with HHR it’s a full layer feed but dark in color that’s textured having grains , pellets and molasses. Well it started out ok but then all the chickens started picking out the best leaving the rest but had it scattered EVERYWHERE. It was thrown around so bad that I bought pull out trays to rabbit cages to put under the food bowls. So once I seen that they were only eating the henhouse reserve I decided to buy only henhouse reserve and not all the other feed. This was quite costly as each bag was 49.99 and I had about 50 chickens at that time but the henhouse reserve did not work as they picked through it, even leaving back the pellets. Then I decided to go back to mix in the crumble pellet, a mini pellet and adding cracked corn , Black oil , sunflower seed and sweet feed This did not work they picked out the best again still leaving feed everywhere I have given so much feed that has been wasted to the neighbors, pigs next-door that it’s not even funny. I have tried to do a reset on a couple of different feeds and Nothing is working. My hens are acting hungry they’re losing weight. My main concern is my two roosters that are for show have quit eating. They lost some weight and can anyone suggest what to do for the immediate problem the roosters loosing weight right before show and of course I want the hens fed too but my worry is the roosters, what can I give them? I have given table scraps and they won’t even eat it for the most part they do eat however, a little bit of corn and a little bit of sunflower seed, black oil, sunflower seeds, but they don’t always eat that, so are there any suggestions for what I can feed to fatten these boys up ? I only have 20 days left. I spoke to a girl yesterday who mixes her feed being grains then she fermented the grains. I have been wanting to try mixing my own feed for a while . She gave me the list and she adds Poultry Concentrate meal which has the nutritional values that most premix feeds have such as lysine and the others I can’t spell. lol
She has 70 birds and feeds 2 times a day and it cost her 128.00 every 43 days. The price is awesome but my main concern is the roosters for show at the moment. The eating egg hens get out in the eve for a couple hours with plenty of land free range . My show guys are in condition pens being away from other birds so they can keep from any feather pulling or anything to make them not presentable. Everyone has been wormed And treated for mites and there is not any added stress I don’t think , I even covered the 10x10 condition pen with tarps thinking my one boy could be nervous seeing all these hens walking around. I have been giving some fodder as well . They also get whole oats soaked in rooster booster, red cell, cod liver oil and apple cider vinegar and given like a scratch 3 times a week. I am so upset they are loosing weight right before the show when they were in top condition taking first and second at the last two shows we went to. Suggestions please. Thank you

 

[nuthatched]

then all the chickens started picking out the best leaving the rest but had it scattered EVERYWHERE. It was thrown around so bad that I bought pull out trays to rabbit cages to put under the food bowls. So once I seen that they were only eating the henhouse reserve I decided to buy only henhouse reserve and not all the other feed. This was quite costly as each bag was 49.99 and I had about 50 chickens at that time but the henhouse reserve did not work as they picked through it, even leaving back the pellets. Then I decided to go back to mix in the crumble pellet, a mini pellet and adding cracked corn , Black oil , sunflower seed and sweet feed This did not work they picked out the best again still leaving feed everywhere I have given so much feed that has been wasted to the neighbors, pigs next-door that it’s not even funny. I have tried to do a reset on a couple of different feeds

Adding stuff to the feed or only feeding what they like will only make the problem worse. They've gotten spoiled and want only the tasty bits. Get a basic high protein feed like chick or gamebird feed, gravity feeders hung chicken chest high so they don't waste it and leave it. No extras. No healthy animal will not eat when there's food, leave it and don't give them any choice, theyll eat. Have you wormed the recently?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Since you have access to Kalmbach, go get Kalmbach’s 20% Flock Maker, feed the flock maker as their sole food source and cut out everything else. Absolutely no treats, extras, no mixing feed etc. Only offer plain old oyster shells on the side for your ladies. You essentially gave kids free access to the buffet and they went straight to the desert section every time. Remove the desert completely so it’s not an option.

 

[Brahmas Beauty Homestead]

Adding stuff to the feed or only feeding what they like will only make the problem worse. They've gotten spoiled and want only the tasty bits. Get a basic high protein feed like chick or gamebird feed, gravity feeders hung chicken chest high so they don't waste it and leave it. No extras. No healthy animal will not eat when there's food, leave it and don't give them any choice, theyll eat. Have you wormed the recently?

Yes I wormed . I did a fecal with my new microscope and yep it was time . Waiting for fhe 10 days for second round. Treated for mites too. I do a over all check every day by looking not touching and about every 8-10 days I pick each one up and put Vaseline on their comb and feet checking everything crop, bumble foot , eyes
etc . Do you have any experience with mixing whole grains or fermenting? One reason for the switch to begin with is they quit eating and all the cheap feed like tractor supply has is filled 1/3 of powder and I can’t stand it. The kalmbach feed has been clean . Maybe I should give the kalmbach with no grains added and just leave it until they eat it . But what do I do to get my roosters eating NOW? Any suggestions

 

[ShrekDawg]

They will eat if you leave it.

 

[nuthatched]

Yes I wormed . I did a fecal with my new microscope and yep it was time . Waiting for fhe 10 days for second round. Treated for mites too. I do a over all check every day by looking not touching and about every 8-10 days I pick each one up and put Vaseline on their comb and feet checking everything crop, bumble foot , eyes
etc . Do you have any experience with mixing whole grains or fermenting? One reason for the switch to begin with is they quit eating and all the cheap feed like tractor supply has is filled 1/3 of powder and I can’t stand it. The kalmbach feed has been clean . Maybe I should give the kalmbach with no grains added and just leave it until they eat it . But what do I do to get my roosters eating NOW? Any suggestions

I'm not saying buy the cheapest. But Premiun feeds are often not all they're cracked ip to be. Buy something at least 18% protein, not whole grain feed because this is a well known issue with whole grain feeds.
Trying to fix your roosters tasty things to entice his appetite will make it harder later.
Try making a mash out of a the formulated feed. There's no fast solution as the problem didn't formulated over night.

 

[NatJ]

Trying to fix your roosters tasty things to entice his appetite will make it harder later.
Try making a mash out of a the formulated feed. There's no fast solution as the problem didn't formulated over night.

"Mash" meaning the same feed, plus water added so it's a wet mush.
You don't have to let it sit and ferment, just get it wet and serve it to the rooster.

Most chickens like that quite well.
As long as you make it from pellets or crumbles, there is nothing they can pick out, so they have to get the right balance of nutrients in every bite they eat.